We looked at the Periodic Table and where the different metals are located on it.

We used a 9-volt battery to start a fire in steel wool. We didn’t get a fire going, but we did get several sparks which was pretty cool. (My dad joined us at the table for this one because… fire!)

We compared the conduction of metal, plastic, and wood by putting things made of those materials in hot water. The metal definitely conducted the heat the best.

We copper plated a nail. We put copper pennies (1982 and earlier) in vinegar mixed with salt for a while. Then we took out the pennies (they turned green over the rest of the day) and put a silver nail in the salted vinegar. After about an hour, we took the nail out and discovered that it has turned copper. It was really neat how it worked.

We put random metal things in vinegar and waited a while to see what would happen. Not much did, but the screwdriver did get all bubbly.

We made a circuit using a battery, lightbulb, and wire. It took a bit, but we got the lightbulb to light up.

We made edible glass using sugar similar to how silicon is made from sand.

We watched a video on how steel is made and a video on how metal is recycled.

We compared what Vajk (who became St. Stephen I) and Koppany were fighting for.

We designed defenses for our imaginary cities. Cameron’s involved lookouts on towers. Fritz used lots of cannons and soldiers. Adrian skipped weapons and instead went with diplomacy to reach a peace agreement with his neighbors.

We learned about Transylvania.

We built a Lithuanian castle out of popsicle sticks.

We made help wanted posters to hire people to work with us on our way as traders.

We watched a video on the history of Poland.

We looked at the Cyrillic alphabet and pictures of Serbian illuminated texts.

We made salt dough and formed it into a relief map of the Thracian Plain.

The boys each chose a Bulgarian king to draw a picture of and write some facts about.